Dehumidifying device



A. T. RACE, JR

DEHUMIDIFYING DEVICE May 29, 1951 Filed July 12, i949 Patented May 29,1951 DEHUMIDIFYING DEVICE Austin T. Race, Jr., Winter Haven, to Race&'Race, Inc., Winter corporation of Florida v v Application July 12,1949, Serial No. 104,327

' 4 claims. (c1. 18a-'4.8)

This invention vrelates tondehumidiiers, and more particularly to small,portable dehumidii'lers particularly intended for v household `use inconnection with basement recreation rooms, closets and the like, whereexcessive humidity vis particularly objectionable, resulting in mold andan unpleasant atmosphere.

An object of the invention is to provide a prac tical, commercialarticle which will be light in Weight, contain no moving parts ormechanical apparatus, and which can-be readily reconditioned by heatingin an oven-at periodic intervals.

A further object of the invention is to provide animproved dehumidier ofthe type indicated, with an indicator positioned lin such a manner andin such relationship to theV other elements of the device as to assurelits maintaining its proper position, thus assuring the maximumeiliciency in the use of the device.

Further objects willmoreparticul'arly appear in thecourse of thefollowing detailed descrip tion.

The invention consists in the novel construetion, arrangement andcombinations of parts hereinafter more particularly described andclaimed. Y

One sheet of drawings accompanies this specication as part thereof, inwhich like reference characters indicate like parts throughout.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation ofothe improved device, partly broken awayto disclose its construction;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal transverse cross section taken on line 2 2 ofFigure 1'; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal cross section illustrating amodied form of water absorbent material.

In accordance with the present invention a container I is formedpreferably of woven metal wire having a natural resilience and in thepreferred form illustrated this tubular container is formed from arectangular piece of such woven Wire bent into tubular shapeland thussecured by means of spaced staples 2 embracing the overlapped margins toform a tube.

The bottom of the tube may be closed in any convenient manner, hereinillustrated as compressing opposed sides of the tubes and securing themin close engagement by,.a channel-shaped clip 3 secured in position asby rivets 4.

Preferably, the bottom portion of the tubular container thus formed islined with a sheet of aluminum or other metallic foil yI5 to prevent thesifting of powdered portions -of the water absorbent material out of thecontainer.

Fla., assignor Haven, Fla., a

The container thus formed is filled substantially to its top with waterabsorbent material such as activated alumina in small particles, asindicated at 5, by reason of which the maximum surface area is. exposedand a free circulation of air permitted through the container.

A Optionally, the Water absorbent materiallmay be formed into uniformshaped pellets 5', as illustrated in Figure 3.

Adjacent the top of the container a transparent Vial IIl is positionedinverted, this vial being loaded with a suitable indicator materialsuchA as cobalt chloride having the characteristic of changing its colordepending upon the` water content. In practice, a relatively smallquantity of this material is charged into the bottomV of the vial I Iand thus held by a packing of gauze, wick or other suitable material, acertain amount of the water absorbent material 5 being permissible, theidea being to permit access of moisture laden air to this indicatormaterial. The vial is closed with a screw cap I2 having a vent I3, andaperipheral fin I4 preferably made of similar Awoven wire material asthe container, is positioned on the vial II conveniently by engagementof the screw` cap I2 against the n and a shoulder Il den-ingthe neckportion of the vial.

In assembling the indicator vial II with the container I, it isinverted, as illustrated in the drawing, and the fin I4 disposedtransversely of the container I being securely held by the particles ofwater absorbent material positioned below, above and around said fin,whereby the position of the vial is assured with relationship to thecontainer I.

This central positioning of the vial II is further assured by the modeof closing the top or upper end of the container, which consists incompressing opposite sides 6 6 of the "tubular container I and bytucking inwardly the intermediate portions 1 'I. The overlapped edgeportions of these side portions 6 6 and 'I I are clamped together by achannel-shaped clampv 8 which embraces one side of the triangular handleID and is secured in position as by rivets 9.

By reason of the natural resiliency of the woven wire screen material,of which the container I is made, these in-turned sides 6 6 and folds I'I exert a constant permanent pressure against the adjacent particles ofwater absorbent material 5 directing said particles against the upperend of the vial II, and thus assuring the permanent positioning of thatportion ofthe vial containing the indicator material I6 with thetransparent top of the vial exposed to observation through the screeningmaterial at the top of the container.

In use these devices will be hung in cupboards or small basement roomsto be protected and the indicator material will show at a glance onperiodic inspection whether the water absorbent material 5 has reachedits saturation point, at which time the devices can be removed and bybaking in an oven for a relatively short time the moisture content willbe expelled from the water absorbent material with a result in change incolor of the indicator material to show dryness, and the device can bere-used repeatedly.

Water absorbent materials other than activated alumina and indicatingmaterials other than cobalt chloride can, of course, be used, the onlyessential in connection with the latter being that they be of acharacter to change in color dependent upon the moisture absorbed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. Dehumidifier comprising a container, a .water absorbent material insmall particles substantially filling the container, and a transparentindicator vial having a vent in one end, said container formed of wovenmetal screen in tubular {form with opposed portions of an end bentinwardly into contact, with the intermediate portions tucked inwardlyand with the edges secured together, whereby an inward resilientpressure is directed against the particles of -water absorbent materialat that end, and against the indicator vial centrally positioned withrespect to the container at that end and with the closed end of saidvial exposed and the end having a vent positioned inwardly.

2, Dehumidifier comprising a transparent foraminous container for waterabsorbent material in small particles, a transparent indicator vialhaving a vent at one end, `and means for anchoring said vial centrallyof the mass of absorbent material with its closed end exposed within andat the end of the container and its vented end imbedded centrally of themass of material, comprising a fin of foraminous material, said finsurrounding and extending `in' a plane perpendicular to the long axis ofsaid vial,

4 whereby the vial is stabilized in position when it withsaid 1in isembedded in the water absorbent material.

3." Dehumidier comprising a tubular woven Wire container filled withWater absorbent material in small particles, a transparent vialcontaining material reflecting moisture content by color change, saidVial having a vent in one end and a peripheral iin extending in a -planeperpendicular to its long axis, said vial and n embedded in theparticles of water absorbent material at the top end of the containerwith the top closed portion of the vial exposed, and the bottom ventedend imbedded in the absorbent material said container having itsopposite sides at the top endY compressed together and the intermediateportions turned inwardly to exert a compressive inward and downwardpressure on the water absorbent particles surrounding the vial and ametallic foil liner interposed between the Water absorbent particles andthe container at the bottom/of the latter.

4. De-humidifier comprising a foraminous container substantially filledwith water absorbent material, an elongated transparent vial containingmaterial reflecting moisture content by color change,l said vial havinga vent in one end only and means for positioning said vial imbedded insaid water absorbent material with the vent substantially central of themass of said material and its opposite closed end exposed for inspectionfrom the exterior of the container.

' AUSTIN T. RACE, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the .file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,341,893 Baker Feb. 13, 19442,469,435 Hirsch May 10, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Y, Country Date345,672 Great Britain Mar. 23, 1931

